In baseball, a strikeout occurs when a pitcher throws three strikes to a batter during his time at bat. Only three pitchers have struck out 20 batters in a nine-inning game: Roger Clemens (twice), Kerry Wood, and most recently Max Scherzer.

Twenty different pitchers have struck out at least 18 batters in a single nine-inning Major League Baseball (MLB) game, the most recent being Scherzer of the Washington Nationals on May 11, 2016. Four players have accomplished the feat more than once in their career; no player has ever struck out more than 20 batters in a nine-inning game. Charlie Sweeney was the first player to strike out 18 batters in a single game, doing so for the Providence Grays against the Boston Beaneaters on June 7, 1884. In spite of this, Bob Feller is viewed as the first pitcher to accomplish the feat, since his then-record 18 strikeouts was the first to occur during the 20th century and the live-ball era.

Out of the 20 pitchers who have accomplished the feat, 15 were right-handed and five pitched left-handed. Five of these players have played for only one major league team. Six pitchers—Steve Carlton, Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, and Max Scherzer—are also members of the 3,000 strikeout club. Sweeney has the fewest career strikeouts in the group with 505, while Nolan Ryan, with 5,714, struck out more batters than any other pitcher in major league history. Bill Gullickson and Kerry Wood are the only rookies to have achieved the feat. Tom Seaver concluded his milestone game by striking out the final ten batters he faced, setting a new major league record for most consecutive strikeouts.

Of the eleven players eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame who have struck out 18 batters in a game, six have been elected; all six were elected on the first ballot. Players are eligible for the Hall of Fame if they have played in at least 10 major league seasons and have either been retired for five seasons or deceased for at least six months.

Players

+KeyPitcherName of the pitcherDateDate of the gameTeamThe pitcher's teamOpposing teamThe team against whom the pitcher struck out 18 playersScoreFinal score of the game, with the pitcher's team score listed firstStrikeoutsNumber of strikeouts the pitcher recordedCareer KsCareer strikeoutsElected to the Baseball Hall of Fame*Player is activeIndicates the player's team lost the game

MLB pitchers with 18 strikeouts in a nine-inning game +MLB pitchers with 18 strikeouts in a nine-inning game (sorted by number of strikeouts, then chronologically)PitcherDateTeamOpposing teamScoreStrikeoutsCareer KsRefsWashington NationalsDetroit Tigers3–2203,557Chicago CubsHouston Astros2–01,582Boston Red SoxDetroit Tigers4–04,672Seattle Mariners3–14,672Seattle MarinersChicago White Sox5–0194,875Oakland Athletics1–44,875New York MetsPhiladelphia Phillies7–02,668California AngelsBoston Red Sox4–25,714New York MetsSan Diego Padres2–13,640St. Louis CardinalsNew York Mets3–44,136Chicago BrownsBoston Reds10–4846Providence GraysBoston Beaneaters2–1505Cleveland IndiansSt. Louis Cardinals2–0181,725Milwaukee BrewersAtlanta Braves4–11,325Toronto Blue JaysKansas City Royals3–04,672Seattle MarinersTexas Rangers2–34,875Los Angeles DodgersAtlanta Braves6–01,427Montreal ExposChicago Cubs4–21,279New York YankeesCalifornia Angels4–01,778California AngelsChicago White Sox3–25,714Houston AstrosCincinnati Reds6–11,283Los Angeles DodgersChicago Cubs10–22,396San Francisco Giants5–22,396Cleveland IndiansDetroit Tigers1–42,581Milwaukee BrewersBoston Reds4–5659Boston RedsSt. Louis Maroons0–1950

18 strikeouts in extra-inning games

Eight different pitchers have struck out at least 18 batters in an extra-inning Major League Baseball (MLB) game to date. Only Nolan Ryan accomplished the feat more than once in his career and no player has ever struck out more than 21 batters in a game.

The following list is kept separate from the above list of pitchers who have struck out 18 or more batters in a nine-inning game. This is due to the differing number of innings pitched during an extra-inning game, the lack of a definitive endpoint to the game that would otherwise allow for a fair comparison to be made, and the advantage of having more opportunities to strike out players during an extra-inning game as opposed to one lasting nine innings.

+KeyIPInnings pitched by the pitcher in the game

+MLB pitchers with 18 strikeouts in an extra-inning gamePitcherDateTeamOpposing teamScoreStrikeoutsIPCareer KsRefsWashington SenatorsBaltimore Orioles2–12116345Arizona DiamondbacksCincinnati Reds4–32094,875Cleveland IndiansMinnesota Twins1–019102,416California AngelsBoston Red Sox4–3135,714Detroit Tigers0–1115,714Toronto Blue Jays2–1105,714Philadelphia AthleticsBoston Americans4-118241,052Boston BravesChicago Cubs1–3152,583Philadelphia PhilliesNew York Mets0–0151,629Cincinnati RedsNew York Mets0–1111,605

See also

List of Major League Baseball no-hitters List of Major League Baseball pitchers who have thrown an immaculate inning List of Major League Baseball single-inning strikeout leaders

Notes

References

External links Top Individual Performances – List Retrosheet (scroll down)